Detective and mystery stories; England -- Fiction; Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction
“I’m not sure that I agree with you,” he said at last. “Gregg’s not
behaving like a guilty man. I fully expected that he’d make a break
for the boat-train, instead of which he’s gone quite openly to the
address at which he always stays, according to his servants, when he
comes to town. He may have come up merely to get legal advice.”
“Lady Cynthia’s certainly got a strong feeling that this man Page is
implicated,” admitted Fayre.
“I think she’s right and her suggestion that the car may have been
stopped if it ran to London with a broken number-plate is quite sound.
We can work on that, anyhow.”
“In the meanwhile, is there anything I can do?”
“Yes,” answered Grey decisively. “Get in touch with Sir Edward, if you
can, and see if he won’t arrange an interview with us. He’s got one of
the acutest brains in England and I’d welcome his advice. Besides,
he’s got a personal interest in the case.”
Fayre laughed.
“He hasn’t exactly encouraged my maiden efforts!” he complained. “In
fact, he told me flatly to go to the police just before he left
Staveley.”
Grey nodded.
“That’s the line he would take. Like all competent people he distrusts
the capacity even of professionals; and amateurs simply don’t exist
for him. I don’t think he’ll take that line now, however, especially
when he realizes how far we’ve got. He’ll admit that we’ve every
reason now to keep the thing in our own hands.”
“I’ll call on Lady Kean this afternoon and see if I can get hold of
him. He’s sure to be there unless they are week-ending out of town,
and I don’t think she’s well enough yet for that.”
“Any time he chooses to appoint will suit me. Meanwhile, if nothing
further transpires as regards Gregg, I’ll beard him myself. He may not
resent my curiosity as much as yours, and if he has been to see his
solicitor he’ll no doubt have had it impressed upon him that his
attitude is not only stupid but dangerous, if he’s really got nothing
to hide.”
They lingered over lunch and again over their coffee. When they at
last parted Fayre strolled down Piccadilly and across Green Park and
it was close on four o’clock when he reached Kean’s house in
Westminster.
Two cars were standing before the door when he reached it. Evidently
he was not the only caller, a discovery which afforded him a certain
satisfaction. If there were other people there Sybil would have little
opportunity for discussing the Draycott murder and he might manage to
slip away and transact his business with Kean.
He had hardly taken his hand off the bell when the door was opened
and, without waiting for his inquiry as to whether Lady Kean was at
home, the butler stood aside for him to pass into the hall.
“Sir William is waiting for you, sir, if you’ll step up,” he said.
“Sir William?” repeated Fayre, puzzled. “Isn’t this Sir Edward
Kean’s?”
For a moment the man seemed taken aback; then he realized his mistake.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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